


The King of Elfame

by ThoughOceansAway



Category: One Direction (Band), Zayn Malik (Musician)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Fairy Harry, Human Louis, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-25
Updated: 2016-05-25
Packaged: 2018-06-10 17:31:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,027
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6966508
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThoughOceansAway/pseuds/ThoughOceansAway
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Each step he takes away from the camp fire clears his head a little bit until he comes within sight of a small circular clearing. The closer he gets to the clearing the more the brain fog returns. He knows he should just pee and head back to the camp but the fog in his mind is so relaxing and calming. It almost feels good even though he knows it shouldn’t. Ignoring the slight prickling of alarm, he gives in to the compulsion to walk over to the clearing. </p>
<p>All of the usual nighttime colors start melting together and becoming brighter as he walks closer to the clearing. The usual nighttime sounds of the woods seem to fade together in a low hum. Louis’ head begins to feel deliciously dizzy as he finally stumbles through the fog and into a new land.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The King of Elfame

**Author's Note:**

  * For [sky_reid](https://archiveofourown.org/users/sky_reid/gifts).



> This prompt was so lovely: fairy Harry and non-fairy Louis. I really don't feel I did this justice at all. Unfortunately I had a lot of things happen in my life that made it impossible to devote enough attention to this fic.   
> sky_reid, I'm sorry if it's not that great.  
> I mixed some Celtic fairy mythology with other fairy land mythology and threw my own twist on it as well. And, well, this is what I came up with.  
> Thank you to my wonderful beta, Emma. I love you.

“Hey, mate. Pass me another beer, would ya?” Niall asks Louis, making a grabbing motion with one hand in Louis’ direction and throwing a marshmallow at him with the other.

“Aw, Nialler, have this instead!” Louis cries as he throws a rather toasty and melted marshmallow straight at Niall’s head.

Niall, trying to dodge the squishy treat, throws his hands up but gets nailed in the forearm by the marshmallow. He just stares at it as it drops off of his arm and lands on his bare leg with a splat. He shrugs his shoulders as if to say oh well and pops it in his mouth. “Thanks, Lou, but how about that beer now?” 

Louis hands Niall a fresh bottle of beer as Liam sits down in between them. Niall grasps the cold bottle and Louis lets his arm rest across Liam’s shoulders. “So tell me again why we are holding your stag do out in the woods, miles from civilization, away from the bars, away from the strippers?” he asks with a grin on his face and a squeeze to Liam’s shoulder. “Hey, Zayn!” Louis yells at his best friend as he looks across the fire. “How whipped is Liam? No strippers. Seriously.”

“Aw, c’mon, Lou. Give him a break. He wants to keep it low key. It’s a perfect summer night for camping. And besides, I highly doubt the type of strippers you’re interested in would be exciting for Li,” he replies with a laugh. Louis, always a child, simply sticks his tongue out at Zayn and throws a handful of marshmallows in Liam’s face.

The mere thought of a food fight simultaneously excites and upsets Niall. He’s always one for horsing around but the thought of wasting snacks makes him a bit distraught. With a roar, he launches himself at Louis, knocking him backward off of the log on which they were all sat, and knocking he breath out of Louis’ lungs. Niall just laughs and rubs his face all over Louis’ face as Louis tries to regain a steady breathing pattern. 

“Get off of me, you dork,” Louis says as he struggles to push Niall off of him.

“Only if you make me a hot dog,” Niall replies.

“Okay. Fine, I will.”

“Make it two,” Niall says as he stands up and holds his hand out in order to help Louis off the ground.

“Make me some, too, Lou,” Zayn states from across the fire with a grin.

“And me as well,” Liam says, batting his eyelashes with a pout. 

“Fine,” Louis shouts with a fake pout, “but you make some drinks,” he says as he points at Niall, “and you roll some up,” he says as he points at Zayn, “and you stay there and enjoy. You’re getting married!” he cries as he pulls Liam into a big hug. 

Several hot dogs, way too many beers, a couple of joints later finds the boys relaxed and a little bit sleepy. They all decide that it’s time to head into the tents to sleep.

Louis stands up and stumbles a little bit. Probably the combination of camp fire smoke, beer, and weed, he thinks. He shakes his head to clear it and heads into the woods to pee before turning in. 

Each step he takes away from the camp fire clears his head a little bit until he comes within sight of a small circular clearing. The closer he gets to the clearing the more the brain fog returns. He knows he should just pee and head back to the camp but the fog in his mind is so relaxing and calming. It almost feels good even though he knows it shouldn’t. Ignoring the slight prickling of alarm, he gives in to the compulsion to walk over to the clearing. 

All of the usual nighttime colors start melting together and becoming brighter as he walks closer to the clearing. The usual nighttime sounds of the woods seem to fade together in a low hum. Louis’ head begins to feel deliciously dizzy as he finally stumbles through the fog and into a new land.

He falls face first into the soft grass, his arms too soft and heavy to break his fall. The grass feels like it’s caressing his body and he feels so sleepy. It’s the good kind of sleepy, exactly how one feels right before drifting off to sleep. He knows he should get up and go back to the campsite but he’s just so comfortable. 

He rolls over onto his back to look around and get his bearings but is confused by his surroundings. What he thought was an open clearing clearly isn’t. Huge trees are growing around most of the little circle with their branches reaching across to each other, creating a roof of sorts. The sky that is peeking through the boughs should be twinkling with stars but he can see a bright blue sky clearly through the branches.

A sense of alarm starts to rise through his body but the brain fog returns along with a sense of peace. A feeling that everything is all right and he is right where he needs to be.

Louis lies there in the grass for a moment staring up at the green leaves and blue sky. Everything he looks at seems to shimmer in the most beautiful way. 

He hears a sound that sound like the gentlest whisper and then there is a soft warm hand gently smoothing his hair back from his forehead. He looks at the face attached to the body and sees one of the most beautiful creatures he has ever seen. Long, wavy, light hair; pointed, pixie-like features; and a tall, thin body clothed in a shimmery green tunic. The figure smiles at Louis and reaches a hand out to him to help him up off the ground. 

Louis feels a sense of calm from the beautiful creature so he reaches out to allow the person to help him off the ground. 

Louis’ brain still feels extremely foggy so he allows this forest creature to hold his hand and pull him along. In the back of his mind he knows his friends must be worried and that he should go back to them but the heavy, delicious feeling in his head and body win so he allows himself to be led deeper into the glittery forest.

After a few minutes (hours?) the pair come across a bubbling stream. Louis’ companion lets go of his hand and bends down to scoop water out of the little stream. The creature brings its cupped hand up to its mouth a drinks the water before bending down to gather another handful. The creature brings the water up to Louis’ mouth to drink but is interrupted by a shout from the other side of the stream.

The person drops their hand and turns away to disappear into the woods as the man who shouted strides over. He cups Louis’ chin in his hand and pulls his face up to look into his eyes, “You didn’t drink it?” he asks.

Louis’ head is still swimming but he looks up into the man’s face and quietly gasps. He thought the other person was the most beautiful creature he had ever seen, but this man was even more beautiful. He has long, dark, curly hair with sections braided in intricate designs with flowers and leaved threaded through. His heart-shaped face holding green eyes the same color as the leaves on the trees and his lips the same pink as delicate flower petals. His forehead is encircled with a braided gold crown that makes his pale skin shimmer.

Louis’ gaze travels down the man’s body to reveal a shirtless torso covered in blue tattoos, the designs are nothing Louis has seen before and he’s wearing a piece of white fabric twisted around his hips, flowing down his thighs. 

“Did you drink it?” the man asks again, forcing Louis to try to make his brain function and answer the question. Time seems to stand still as he finally forces himself to shake his head.

“Good,” the man replies. “Come.” He takes Louis’ hand and pulls him yet deeper into the woods where there is an even bigger clearing. He sits Louis down on a log and sits down next to him. He turns to face him and puts his hands on his shoulders and his forehead touching Louis’. “I’m so glad you’re here but you can’t stay,” he says as he closes the distance and kisses him.

Louis’ mind is spinning and he can’t concentrate on anything but the feel of the stranger’s mouth on his own. Every hair on his body is standing on end and there is a persistent buzzing running through his body. His arms are heavy but he forces them up around the stranger’s neck, burying his hands in the man’s curls. 

His eyes are so heavy that all he can do is close them and lean his head back as the stranger kisses down his neck and runs his hands down his back. 

He feels like he’s dreaming and isn’t exactly sure when or how it happens but he suddenly realizes that he is lying naked on the grass with the man on top of him. Louis feels no fear, just a dizzying sense of want and need.

Everywhere on his body that the stranger touches him sends electricity coursing through him. His whole body feels as if it’s exploding in a supernova. He feels every single touch, no matter how small throughout his entire being. He doesn’t know how long he and the stranger make love in the grass in the little clearing because his head stays foggy and in its dream-like state. 

He feels the man caress his whole body one last time before he helps him dress back in his discarded clothes and tells him, “You’ve been here far too long. It’s time to go back.”

Louis allows the stranger to help him to his feet and lead him back out of the clearing the same way in which they came in. At the edge of the woods, the man kisses Louis’ forehead and whispers, “Soon,” before he shoves him out of the small clearing and into the forest.

…………………………

Louis wakes up freezing. He can’t remember it ever being this cold when camping. It’s the middle of summer. It shouldn’t be this cold. He wants to go back to sleep and keep dreaming about the other-worldy man with green eyes and curly brown hair. He rolls over and tries to pull his sleeping bag up under his chin for warmth but realizes that he’s not in it. He’s not even in the tent. He’s lying on the hard ground outside. He sighs when he realizes that the boys must have carried him out here as a joke. Assholes, he mutters as he struggles to open his eyes.

When he opens his eyes, he lets out a loud gasp. The ground is covered in light snow and the trees are bare of leaves. He scrambles to his feet and looks around in a panic. No wonder it’s so cold. No way could the weather have changed to this degree over night.

He looks down at his feet to see that his shoes are filthy and worn with holes near the toes. His shorts and shirt are completely worn out and ragged as well. He frantically checks his pockets for his phone but it’s not there. He eventually finds it resting near a log. Of course, the phone is covered in grime and the battery is dead.

Louis is in full-on panic mode now and runs through the woods to the little camping spots where he was just with the boys. He comes across the site and there is nothing there. In fact, the spot looks like it has been abandoned for months. There are no depressions in the grass from their tents and there is no burnt ash and coal from where they had the fire. 

He sinks down on a log and starts to cry. This has to be some kind of sick, cruel joke. Determined, he jumps up and runs the two miles to the main road.

…………………………

Louis wakes up in a hospital bed, his eyes heavy and his mouth dry. He feels a gentle hand smoothing his hair back and hears a soft voice ask, “Lou?” He forces his eyes open and starts crying when he sees his best friend. “Lou, where were you? You’ve been gone so long. They called off the search. We thought you were dead,” Zayn says as he starts crying as well.

Louis just stares at Zayn, confused. Gone so long? It was just one night.

Zayn notices Louis’ obvious confusion and explains. “Lou, you disappeared six months ago. We went camping in June. It’s now December. The last we saw of you, you went into the woods to pee. You never came back. Where were you?”

“I- I don’t know. I was so drunk and high that I passed out in the woods but it was only one night. How could it have been six months?” Louis cries as he starts sobbing again.

Zayn wraps him up in a big hug and coos to him as he rocks him back and forth as Liam comes over to him and wraps his arms around both of them. “We don’t understand, Lou. You were gone for six months, I swear. Your clothes were rags when you were found but you are perfectly healthy. No one can figure out how you stayed alive, let alone in perfect health. You don’t remember any of it?” he asks.

Louis takes a shuddering breath. “The only thing I remember is feeling really out of it then passing out and having a crazy vivid dream. Then I woke up and here I am… Six months later.”

Niall’s head pops up at Louis’ statement. “A crazy vivid dream?” he asks. “What was it about?”

Louis explains his dream the best he can but it’s all in bits and pieces.

“So,” Niall begins, “You felt like you had to go to this clearing you saw, then you met some sort of human-like creatures. One of them wouldn’t let you have anything to drink, then you had sex with him?”

“Well, yeah,” Louis says, confused. “It was just a dream. What does it have to do with anything, Niall? I was gone for six months and no one can explain why!”

Zayn decides Louis has had enough and turns to the other boys. “We should let him rest. We’ll figure it out.”

Niall looks like he has something else to say but a warning glare from Zayn makes him shut his mouth. He just nods his head and gets up to leave. 

The boys all take turns giving him cuddles and kisses and leave him so he can get some sleep.

…………………………

A few weeks later Louis is preparing for his first day of work at his new job. Luckily the boys had packed up all of things from his apartment when he first went missing and they still had hope that he’d return. Unfortunately, he lost his job and his apartment while he was gone. 

Most days are good. He lives with Zayn for the time being. It’s comfortable. Zayn never pushes for an explanation that Louis can’t give and most days Louis is able to put it all out of his mind. The nights are a different story. Most nights he dreams of the curly-haired man and his promise of soon. He has no idea what it means but the dreams are so, so nice.

His first day of work goes well and he feels confident that he will be able to eventually get some sense of normalcy back in his life. Unfortunately, that night he receives a phone call from Niall that throws a wrench in his plans.

“I know where you were” is the first thing Niall says to him when Louis answers his phone. 

Louis’ heart jumps in his chest. “What? How do you know?” he asks. 

“Come over for dinner and I’ll explain. Come now,” Niall says and hangs up.

Louis doesn’t hesitate. He grabs his keys and wallet and rushes out the door and heads over to Niall’s place. 

…………………………

Niall won’t explain anything until Louis eats some food. “You’re gonna need your strength for this one,” he says.

Louis wolfs down two pieces of pizza while staring at Niall. He wipes his mouth on a napkin and drawls, “Well? Explain.” 

Niall sets down his beer and takes a deep breath. “Okay. Don’t freak out.”

“I won’t freak out, Niall. Just tell me.”

“You have to promise to keep an open mind and not interrupt me.”

“Keep an open mind?!?? Niall, I disappeared for six months with no recollection of where I was. I doubt you can say anything right now that would shock me. So tell me.”

“Mate, I think you were in Fairyland,” Niall says with a hand raised to ward off Louis’ inevitable interruption. “You said you wouldn’t interrupt. Let me finish.” He waits for Louis to nod his assent then continues, “My granddad told me the stories when I was a kid. Fairyland is all around us. Our world is just like a little island in it. I guess it’d be like another dimension. I think that’s where you were. It’s the only explanation for why you were gone so long but thought you were only gone one night. If you weren’t there and you were actually just stuck that long in the woods, you’d be dead and you weren’t. You were perfectly healthy. You see, time doesn’t move the same there so your body was only there overnight. It’s the only thing that makes sense.”

Louis looks at Niall to see if he’s joking but he can only see genuine honesty in his blue eyes. “Do you really believe that?” he asks.

“I do,” Niall states simply.

“So, let’s go back,” Louis says. “Right now.”

Niall looks at him with concern in his eyes but nods his head anyway. “If it will answer our questions, I’ll go with you but I’m not going in.”

………………………..

The two boys bundle up in their warmest clothing and drive out near the campsite. The air is freezing with a biting wind but the sky is clear with a full moon and no clouds to cover the stars. Niall grabs a couple blankets and flashlights out of the trunk of the car and they begin the two-mile walk back to their abandoned campsite. Once they reach the site, Niall builds a fire and lays the blankets over a log so they’ll be warm when they get back. “We will be back. From what you described we’re going to feel compelled to enter the clearing but we’ll have each other to focus on this time so we’ll be able to fight it,” Niall explains.

Louis is scared but he wants answers so he grabs Niall’s hand and leads him through the forest using their flashlights to light the way. Neither one of them speak to each other and the forest is silent other than Louis muttering, “This way,” or “I went over here,” or “I think we’re close,” every once in a while.

Pretty soon they both begin to feel a little drowsy and a little tipsy. Louis remembers the feeling all too well so he knows they’re on the right track. 

They continue walking for a few minutes, their limbs getting heavier and the sky getting mistier the closer they get. Louis concentrates on Niall’s warm hand in his own and uses it to ground himself while Niall seems to be in a trance.

Louis can see the little clearing through the fog in the sky and the fog in his head. Every cell in his body is screaming at him to keep walking and step inside and he almost does but he hears a voice yell, “Stop there!”

Louis would recognize that voice anywhere. It’s the voice from his dream. It’s the voice of the beautiful man that held him and made love to him in the clearing in the woods. 

The alarm in the man’s voice makes Louis’ body stop short and his head clear. Niall also comes to a stop and looks around dazedly as if he were waking up from a dream. “Wha-” Niall starts to say next to him but can’t finish the sentence as he look over and sees the fairy man. 

“It’s okay. Don’t be scared,” the stranger says in a calming musically deep voice. “My name is Harry. I won’t hurt you but you can’t come here. I’ll come to you.”

He strides over to the pair of boys and scoops Louis up off the ground in a hug. “You shouldn’t be here, love. It’s not time yet,” he says into Louis’ neck as he sets him down back on his feet.

Louis cradles Harry’s face in his hands. “You’re real. I wasn’t dreaming,” he says. “Are you from Fairyland? Is it real? What do you mean it’s not time yet? Time for what?”

Harry smiles at Louis. “It’s real. I can answer all your questions. Let me come with you? I can be gone for a while but not too long before I’m missed.”

Niall is still standing there with a dumbfounded look on his face when Harry turns to look at him expectantly. “Hi, Niall. I’m Harry.”

Niall snaps out of his daze to ask, “You know my name? The stories are true.”

Harry smiles serenely at Niall. “They are true. I’m going to come with you and explain everything if it’s okay with you.”

Niall nods his assent and Harry leads the two boys away from the clearing and back to the campsite.

Louis sits together with a shivering Harry on a log and wraps them both up in a blanket in front of the fire. Harry feels the cold more strongly than Louis and Niall because the weather in Fairyland is always mild he explains to them. It doesn’t help that he is, once again, only dressed in a wrapped piece of fabric. 

Louis looks over at Harry and asks, “What do you mean when you say it’s not time yet? Am I supposed to go there at some point?”

Harry just nods his head but won’t explain more. He asks Louis of he can go back to his home with him because he is “interested in humans and would like to spend time with you in your world.”

Louis says yes and they walk the two miles back to the car and drive back to town. Niall drops Louis and Harry off at the apartment that Louis shares with Zayn. As they walk into the house Louis asks him how long he can stay. Harry answers, “Not long. I don’t want them to know I’m gone. They think I shouldn’t be interested in humans so much. In my time I’ll be gone for a couple of hours. In your time it will be about ten days. Is that okay? Can I stay with you that long?”

“Of course you can but let’s not tell Zayn where you’re from. He wouldn’t understand and he’s been so worried about me. We’ll tell him you’re a cousin or something.”

…………………………

Louis takes great interest in showing Harry around his world. Harry has been in the regular world several times in the past but never around other people, let alone a city. He’s fascinated with everything he sees. He’s especially intrigued by the food. He decides he likes pizza the most.

Louis tries to teach him to skateboard. For being a fairy, Harry isn’t especially graceful. He falls off the skateboard more than he stays on it and pouts when Louis laughs at him.

Everything feels so right. The two of them fit like perfect puzzle pieces. When they made love in Fairyland, Louis was still in a dream-like state and he felt it through his whole body and soul, never centered on a particular touch. It was like nothing he had experienced before. In his own world their lovemaking is different. Every single touch between the two is like a firework sparking on each individual body part and Harry is delighted. As the days progress Louis knows with 100% certainty that they belong together. 

The days go by too fast and still Harry hasn’t explained everything to Louis. Louis is dying to know why Harry said he’ll be there in Fairyland soon but he doesn’t want to push him for answers. He not exactly sure he wants to know the reason because it scares the shit out of him.

It’s Harry’s last night with Louis and they are enjoying an ice cream cone. Harry says that ice cream is the thing he’ll miss the most. “Are you saying you won’t miss me the most?” Louis asks him.

Harry pulls him in tight and kisses his nose. “I will definitely miss you the most, Louis, but I won’t really have time to miss you, yeah? Remember, time moves differently in my world. It won’t be long for me until I have you with me.”

Louis’ patience has finally run out and he feels he deserves an explanation. He cups Harry’s cheeks in his hands and softly says, “Tell me, please. I can’t not know what’s going to happen to me.”

“I’m not supposed to tell our secrets,” Harry began, “but I’ll tell you what I can. You know who we are from some of the old myths. We are known as the Elders because we take care of nature and nature includes you, the humans. You’re known to us as the Children because you’re so much like us but not quite as advanced.”

Louis raises his brow like he’s offended but makes a hand gesture for Harry to continue. 

“Sometimes we take in some of the children. Sometimes they’re the ones who are on a higher level and very enlightened. Some of them we bring to us because they can bring us beauty in the form of music or art. Sometimes we bring them in because we just love them.”

I knew who you were long before you wandered into the clearing. It was always my destiny to fall in love with a human and I dreamed of you for years before I ever set eyes on you.”

“What happens to the children you take?” Louis asked. “Do we die?”

“No, baby. You won’t die but people will think you did. It’s the only way to keep the secret. Some disappear and come to us. Either they know or they, like you, feel compelled to go to a clearing and enter our world. Some of them fall into a deep sleep and seem like they have passed away but they haven’t. We take them for our own.”

“What if I don’t want to go? Do I have a choice?” Louis asks as he thinks of all he’s have to leave behind. Zayn and the other boys are his family. He doesn’t know if he wants to leave them forever.

“The choice will always be yours, Louis. Just know I love you and I feel our destiny is to be together, but destiny can be changed. I won’t hold it against you.”

Louis can’t help but cry. He feels torn between the two worlds. He can’t imagine a life without Harry now that he found him and he can’t imagine a life without his boys either. He decides to give it a little time before he decides.

…………………………

Louis puts off his decision for three whole weeks. He goes to work during the day and hangs out with the boys in the evenings but he feels an ice-cold hole in his heart every time he thinks of Harry. 

Finally, Niall has had enough. He shows up at Zayn and Louis’ apartment “Louis. You need to go to him,” is the first thing he says when Louis opens the door.

“But I can’t leave you guys, and Zayn and Liam won’t understand.” Louis protests. 

“They’ll understand, Lou. Neither of them believe he was your cousin and they both know something else is going on that they don’t know about. Why don’t you come over tonight? I want to show you the book that my granddad left me. It explains Fairyland a little bit more. Now that I know it’s real I believe the book is true. Maybe there is something in the book that will help you decide.”

………………………………….

Louis decides to spend the night with Niall and take a look at the book to see if it will help him decide. They eat a quiet dinner and Niall excuses himself to go to bed and leaves Louis to his reading. The book is definitely old and has been passed down through different generations. 

He flips through it aimlessly for a while, recognizing some of the things Harry had told him about. The book is beautifully illustrated in colored pencils and watercolors but it’s a drawing on one of the pages that makes him stop and draw in a deep breath. It’s a drawing of someone who could only be Harry. The caption says The King of Elfame. Harry is the fairy king? It doesn’t matter. He knows he loves him, king or not. Just a drawn picture of him makes Louis heart ache. He misses him so much.

Louis knows that he wants to go back and live with Harry in Fairyland but he just feels so guilty. He hurt his boys once already when he disappeared the first time. He doesn’t want to hurt them like that again. 

Also, he’s scared. He’s not sure he wants to live the rest of his life in a daze. The first time he was in Fairyland was like a blurry dream. He can’t imagine always feeling like that. 

He snuggles down into a duvet in front of the fire and continues to read the book. Several hours pass before he finds what he is looking for. For once you eat of the food and partake of the drink, the veil is lifted but you cannot return so choose wisely.

Knowing that he’d be in his own mind living in Fairyland Louis is even more torn. Every bit of his heart and soul want to go to Harry but the guilt is still there when he thinks of his boys. He decides to go to sleep and think about it in the morning when he’s refreshed and his head is clear.

…………………………

Louis sleeps late the next morning and is only woken by the clattering of dishes and the mumble of voices coming from the kitchen. He drags himself from bed and into the kitchen to find Niall at the stove and Zayn and Liam sitting at the table with mugs of tea. 

He goes over to the kettle to give Niall a hug and pour himself a cup of tea. “Thank you,” he murmurs to Niall. He knows that Niall called Zayn and Liam to come over.

He kisses the top of Liam’s head on the way to his chair and snuggles into Zayn’s chest once he sets down his mug. Zayn pulls him close and says, “Liam and I read the book. We think you should go, babe.”

Louis looks up to Niall but Niall just shrugs, “I didn’t tell them anything. The just happened to ‘find’ the book.”

The room gets completely silent for a minute then Liam starts laughing, followed by Zayn and Niall. After a few seconds Louis can’t help but join in. None of them really understand why it’s funny but the laughter is like a release. Louis now knows that the boys won’t be angry or hurt. They only wish the best for him and they all agree that following his destiny is the best thing for him.

Breakfast is a quiet, relaxed affair. Most of it is spent reminiscing of all the good times they’ve had together growing up. None of them talk about what will happen once Louis leaves.

Louis sits silently staring into his tea while the other boys clean up the dishes. He feels a hand on his shoulder and looks up to see Liam. Liam smiles gently and holds out his hand. “Up you get,” he says. “Let’s not keep your boy waiting.”

Louis is flooded with love and gratitude for these wonderful, wonderful boys he calls his friends. He nods his head with tears in his eyes and goes upstairs to get ready.

…………………………

The four boys pile into Liam’s car. Louis sits in the back seat cuddled with Zayn as they make the drive out to the old campsite. “You’re my best friend,” Louis whispers into Zayn’s chest. “I love you.”

Zayn smiles and wipes tears from his eyes before giving him a blinding smile. “I love you, too, Lou.”

The walk to the site is quiet and peaceful. No words need spoken. All of the boys are happy. Sure, they’ll miss Louis but that is less important to them than knowing he is following his destiny. They all know without a doubt that he belongs with Harry.

Louis lets them walk him just far enough that they won’t get dizzy and sleepy and feel the compulsion to enter Fairyland. He gives Niall a big hug and thanks him again. “You did this. Thank you for everything. It means so much that you were all here.”

Niall squeezes him back and says, “I’m so happy for you. I can’t even cry. I know this is what’s meant to be.” He lets go of him and pushes him over to Liam.

Louis throws his arms around Liam’s neck and says, “I’ll miss you so much, mate. I love you so much.” Liam just sniffles and smiles so big that the crinkles by his eyes almost make them disappear. Louis takes his phone out of his pocket and hands it to Liam. “Here. I won’t be needing this and I know you’ve always wanted this model.” which makes Liam sniffle even more and pull Louis closer before letting him go to Zayn.

“Zayn,” is all Louis can get out before he starts bawling. “You’re my best friend and brother. I’ve known you my whole life. How am I supposed to just not see you again?” He wraps his arms around Zayn’s waist and just stands there breathing in Zayn’s scent while Zayn rocks him back and forth.

“Lou, look at me,” Zayn says as he places his finger under Louis’ chin to force his head up to look at him. “I know you’re meant to go. I know you’re going to be okay. I know you’re going to be happy. And you know that I’m going to be okay, too. Besides, who says it’s goodbye forever? Maybe one day I’ll stumble into Fairyland?”

Louis chuckles and untangles himself from Zayn’s embrace. He digs in his pocket for his keys. “Your house key and my car keys. I want you to have it.” He pulls Zayn close one more time and plants a kiss on his forehead before turning and walking away from his three boys. 

When he feels his limbs get that familiar heavy feeling and his head get that familiar dizziness he turns around for one last look at the boys. They are all standing together with their arms around each other. They all smile and wave at him. 

Louis stops, smiles, and waves back. He blows them a kiss and turns toward the clearing where he sees Harry standing there with the flowers in his hair, the crown on his head, and his body wrapped in flowing fabric. 

Even in Louis’ dreamy state he knows he’s never seen anything so beautiful in his life. When Louis reaches him Harry presents him with a plate of fairy food and a chalice of fairy water. He kisses him and says, “Welcome home, Louis.”


End file.
